Ok, I admit it – I, Amy-the-blogger, am a CHICKEN. There. I said it – now you know.

Last week, I excitedly went to check the Tuesdays with Dorie webpage to see what this week’s recipe would be….and there it was – “Madam Chow of Madam Chow’s Kitchen has chosen Pecan Honey Sticky Buns…” Oh grrrrrrreat. Brioche – my arch nemesis. I have tried (and failed miserably) making brioche before – Dorie’s Golden Brioche Loaves, as a matter of fact. After hours of mixing, rising, “slapping”, and countless phone calls to my mother (“ok, now am I doing this part right?”) I ended up with a rock-hard, greasy loaf of…well, let’s just say not brioche! So, needless to say, when I saw this week’s pick, I was a little nervous. Ok fine – I was shaking in my BOOTS, I admit it!! Go ahead, judge me all you want…I didn’t make the little Pecan Sticky Devils and I’m not sorry! On top having late night Turandot rehearsals almost every night and opening Saturday (which went awesome, by the way!! My solo went perfectly! Phew!), which didn’t leave any time for much else this week, I wasn’t prepared to stare failure in the face again so soon. So, I opted for the Almost Fudge Gateau instead.

Lemme tell ya, this is one tasty little “cake”. I was shocked at how dense and fudgey it was, since it calls for beaten egg whites, which I thought would’ve made it light and fluffy. But, the title describes it perfectly – almost fudge! Not surprisingly, that’s why I chose the recipe from all of the past TWD recipes – anything with “almost fudge” in the title will win me over automatically every time! I will say, though – use a chocolate that you really, really enjoy, because the chocolate is the most predominant flavor in the cake. I used a pretty dark chocolate, so my cake was a little on the bitter side, but still very tasty. I might try it with a milk chocolate next time, just to see how it turns out.

And definitely go with the optional glaze!! YUM! I can’t imagine this cake without the chocolate ganache on top of it! Ok, ok, so it is a bit of a chocolate overload, but hey, its delicious and its worth it!

Almost-Fudge Gâteau

5 large eggs
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup of sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons coffee or water
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

For the Glaze (optional)
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Getting Ready:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a mixer bowl or other large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.

Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add the chocolate, sugar butter and coffee. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted; the sugar may still be grainy, and that’s fine. Transfer the bowl to the counter and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the yolks one by one, then fold in the flour.

Working with the whisk attachment of the mixer or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they hold firm, but glossy peaks. Using the spatula, stir about one quarter of the beaten whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest. Scrape the butter into the pan and jiggle the pan from side to side a couple of times to even the batter.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake has risen evenly (it might rise around the edges and you’ll think it’s done, but give it a few minutes more, and the center will puff too) and the top has firmed (it will probably be cracked) and doesn’t shimmy when tapped; a thin knife inserted into the center should come out just slightly streaked with chocolate. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Run a blunt knife gently around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Carefully turn the cake over onto a rack and remove the pan bottom and the parchment paper. Invert the cake onto another rack and cool to room temperature right side up. As the cake cools, it may sink.

To Make the Optional Glaze:

First, turn the cooled cake over onto another rack so you’ll be glazing the flat bottom, and place the rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper to catch any drips.

Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave oven – the chocolate should be just melted and only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir very gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Pour the glaze over the cake and smooth the top with a long metal icing spatula. Don’t worry if the glaze drips unevenly down the sides of the cake – it will just add to its charms. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature or, if you’re impatient, slip the cake into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. If the glaze dulls in the fridge, just give it a little gentle heat from a hairdryer.

If you would like to visit the blogs of the TWD members who aren’t big whiney-baby-scaredy-pants chickens and check out their versions of Pecan Honey Sticky Buns, go here.

P.S. Don’t judge me.

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